CRUEL BLOW, RUNNING AWAY & TURKEYS (written 30 July 2015)

(This post was initially written on the 30th July, but I have only just remembered to post it).

Life has dealt a cruel blow to us recently.  On the 28th June 2015, after a very courageous and tough battle with cancer, C died.

Devastating.

We feel lost even though we have goals to reach, life is about to change dramatically.  We are moving on, although we haven't a definite date yet, but hoping by the end of the year.  J is off to school in the UK and I am sorting and organising as much as I can at the moment so I can follow him over as soon as possible.

J is coping amazingly and apparently so am I, many of my friends have been telling me how strong they think I am.  I have to say that I don't feel it most of the time at the moment.  I would love to run away, but I have too many responsibilities.

The Ruffa Roo and Rex are both fine, although Rex seems to be having a few problems with one of his legs, which he damaged in an accident many years ago - he's getting on a bit now.

I never managed to plant any more veggies, so the land lies fallow for now.  The pool is good at the moment.  We've currently got pears and the figs are ripening.  Shame I don't like figs.  I will have to pass them onto friends and family this year.  I have no time to make fig jam!  

The weather has been exceptionally hot this year, the humidity high, which makes it feel even hotter, everyone is suffering. It is fine if you are on holiday, but when you live here, work and lead a normal life, it's a big struggle to find the energy to keep moving and not flop into a pool or the sea somewhere!

We had some turkeys again.  3 in total, that I bought back in February/March time.  Two black and a white one, they are Mallorquin turkeys - locally known as 'Indiots'.  They are smaller than the usual big white birds we get in the UK etc.  Sadly, the white one escaped and Ruffa ate it!! Horrible - white feathers everywhere! Luckily for me I wasn't here, but sadly for my Mum, she was! She arrived at the finca to find millions of white feathers everywhere - but no turkey - nothing!  Today one of the black turkey's escaped, Ruffa got it again, however, it managed to escape from him and is safely back in it's pen! Turkey's are not the most intelligent animals I'm sure.  He is injured, but I cannot catch him to examine him to see how bad he is.  Perhaps he'll be ok, here's hoping.  I will try to get him tomorrow.

We still have hens producing lovely eggs, I am about to give the turkeys and the hens away to someone, I need to concentrate on getting things organised for the UK.

I am trying to work out how to keep our Ruffa Roo, and get him to the UK.  At the moment it isn't looking too positive, but I won't give up until the last.  I have had an offer of him staying here where he lives at the moment, but if he can come with us, he will, he's my lovely boy, after J of course, even if he does have a taste for live turkey!! 

The cats are as ever carrying on their semi-wild lives out the back of the finca.  There have been many deaths and many births and lots of funny moments in-between.  

This blog will probably stop by the end of the year, but we will see what happens and for now I will try to update when I can.  Once this one stops perhaps I will start another one, about moving back to the UK!!!! 

FIG JAM

Incredibly, for the first time EVER, I made some jam last night.

Firstly I'd like to say that I had no idea how painful it is to burn yourself with boiling jam! OUCH, but with super-lightening reaction I managed to save a blistered finger - lucky.

The green figs on the tree are ripening and I picked about two kilos of them yesterday late afternoon.
I looked at the pile of figs and, as I don't like them, decided to try my hand at some jam making.  I think it worked well, although, my chief taster hasn't tried it yet.  I shall deliver fresh figs and a pot of jam later today - the jury is still out!  I added some ginger so I hope that gives it a kick, I will definitely try it later.

The figs and grapes are really coming along.  Only some of the grapes have been covered so I hope that the rest don't get eaten by the insects, only time will tell. 

The olives are growing ready for the olive season! I can never remember when that is, we have two olive tress that fruit at different times so it gets a little confusing.

The prickly pears are abundant but won't be ready till they are a lovely pinky colour - again I'm not keen on these fruits, but I know many that are.

PRICKLY PEAR FRUITS - HAVE TO BE PICKED IN A SPECIAL WAY AS THEY ARE VERY, VERY PRICKLY - AS THE NAME IMPLIES!

BEAUTIFUL YELLOW FLOWERS OF THE PRICKLY PEAR PLANT.

We have pears growing by the pool which will be ready very soon and the veggie plot is about to have its soil turned over ready for (finally) some veggies to grow in.

The kittens are growing (what's left of them).  We lost so many this year due to a terrible cold virus they all caught.  Puss cat is doing well and enjoying trying to make friends with the cat family.  He is in quite a bit during the day, but goes off into the fields at night.  So far no sign of him fighting - I hope he behaves himself.

PUSS HELPING ME UNPACK THE SHOPPING!

The hens are fine and the broody one seems to have broken her broodiness, thankfully.  However, I found it strange that I couldn't find any eggs at one point and searched everywhere.  They have been allowed out of their pen and roamed free around the veggie plot and pool area.  In the undergrowth near the pool I discovered a hen snuggled down (looking broody), when I put my hand under her and lifted her off - there were 15 eggs!!! I had to test them all before eating them.  You do this by placing them in a deep bowl (or basin) of water.  If they sink they are good.  If they float - bin them!

THE HIDDEN PILE OF 15 EGGS!!

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THE POSSIBLE CULPRIT UNLESS ALL 4 HENS BANDED TOGETHER!!

That's it for now.  Back with the verdict on the jam.

EMOTIONAL ATTACHMENT TO ANIMALS - WHY DO WE DO IT?

So this week has been rather stressful for us, as a family, here.  As you may, or may not, have read my previous post, you will have seen our lovely, new family member - Pink.  We'd had her for just over two weeks and the friend of mine, that gave her to us, called me with a dilemma of strange irony.

A couple had driven up to her house asking about a little black dog!  It turns out Pink had another family, in fact she quite possibly had a couple of families, including the librarian in the village, who used to feed her regularly, thinking she was a stray.  The couple were devastated to hear that my friend (who actually owned the dog) had given her to us.  This couple, it turned out, was my friend's next door neighbours, neither of them knew each other, and my friend had had no idea that Pink was going there regularly.

To cut a very long story short (there is a lot more to it), I battled with my thoughts for a few days and in the end decided to do what would be best for Pink, not for the couple or for us.  Pink had been with this other family for about 4 years, she'd only been with us for 2 weeks.  She also knew the village she was from very well, and the people in it, she didn't know our area very much at all.  And there were quite a few other factors involved.

Yesterday I met the couple at the veterinary surgery so we could change over the paperwork.  I felt like I'd been hit by a truck, and I didn't expect to feel so upset after just 2 weeks.  My son J is devastated also, I don't think I'd seen him so upset for a long time.  I didn't stay to chat to these people as I couldn't really speak and needed to get home quickly.  My friend appeared at the vet's and helped out with the process of transfer.

Why do we get so attached to our animals so quickly! We get broken hearted, bereaved etc and then we do it all over again! Are we (by 'we' I mean people in general) gluttons for punishment?   

So Pink is now back with who she should be with and although I am happy that she will be happy there, it has been a rather devastating blow! We will certainly be getting another like her (or a little smaller) when we can.

Onward to other things...

Yet another little kitten has died.  It didn't grow and thrive so it must have had a problem inside!

The figs are growing and the grapes are coming along beautifully - I need to put paper bags over them to stop the birds and insects from destroying the crop.

The pool is lovely and clean and great to jump into when the weather is too hot to move!

No photos today and my blog won't be written for the next 10 days or so as we have a very busy time ahead.  

See you all in July.